EDITORIAL: Punishing North Korea

Nobody wants the March 26 sinking of the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan by North Korea to escalate into an armed clash. Nevertheless, strong pressure needs to be applied on the rogue dictatorship in Pyongyang to stop its acts of military provocation.

This is a dilemma not only for South Korea, but also for the entire international community. And the challenge is as much Japan's, given that security on the Korean Peninsula is a matter of grave concern for us. Tokyo must explore every diplomatic and legal avenue to find a way out of this dilemma.

In a televised address to the nation Monday, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak denounced North Korea, vowing to make the latter "pay a price corresponding to its acts of military provocation."

Next month marks the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. Lee noted with unconcealed anger and frustration that "nothing has changed in North Korea over the last 60 years." He said he was "truly embarrassed as a compatriot."

As for the "price" to be exacted of Pyongyang, Seoul has decided, in principle, to sever all inter-Korea trade and exchanges. Lee stressed that his government will "immediately exercise its right of self-defense" if North Korea militarily violates South Korean territory again.

South Korea also announced it will hold joint anti-submarine military exercises with the United States as well as naval blockade drills under the U.S.-led Proliferation Security Initiative.

Typically, North Korea's reaction has been vehement. Denying involvement in the torpedo attack that left 46 sailors dead, Pyongyang threatened "all-out war" and warned it would fire at South Korea's propaganda loudspeakers along the demilitarized zone. It also asserted its right to "expand and reinforce" its power of nuclear deterrence.

These bitter exchanges must not be allowed to escalate into an armed clash. What can the international community do to get Pyongyang to calm down and act with restraint? South Korea intends to take its case to the U.N. Security Council. Among the five permanent Security Council members, the United States and China have especially important roles to play. Japan is also a member of the council, though it has nonpermanent status.

In Beijing on Monday, a forum called China-U.S. Strategic and Economic Dialogue opened. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Monday, "(China and the United States) must work together ... to address this challenge and advance our shared objectives of peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula." But some members of the U.S. Congress are in favor of putting North Korea back on the U.S. list of countries that sponsor terrorism.

The international community expects China, which is propping up the North Korean economy, to apply pressure on Pyongyang and stop it from acting rashly.

Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama expressed Japan's support for South Korea during Monday's meeting on security, and affirmed Japan's commitment to tighten Japan-U.S.-South Korea collaboration. Getting China on board is also vital. The Japan-China-South Korea summit at the end of this month will present a good opportunity. But given the urgency of the situation, we suggest that Japan call an emergency meeting of foreign ministers, or their equivalents, of China, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

In response to a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning North Korea's nuclear program, a bill was drawn up for special measures to allow Japanese authorities to inspect cargo on North Korean vessels. The bill cleared the Lower House last week. The bill must become law if an effective international coalition against North Korea is to be put in place.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 25